I know that kata and compliant exercises aren't teaching fighting, but they teach confidence. The women learn that they can progress at something physical; master kata and application and so on. Then, they act more confident in public. Attackers sense weakness/lack of confidence, so if they just look more confident - no confrontation!

Confident enough to stride through the bad part of town... alone, at 2am, safe in the knowledge that no-one (or no group of no-ones) will dare to start trouble?

Any "confidence" gained in those stupid fucking courses is off set by the arrogant foolish-ness that a moment of semi-competance in a basic technique gives.

I was once challenged to a fight by a woman at a party based on her "Self Defense" boxing course. It took a look and two steps forward to make her literally scramble away from me, and this was in a roomful of people who know I'm a fucking cream puff.

Any "confidence" gained in those stupid fucking courses is off set by the arrogant foolish-ness that a moment of semi-competance in a basic technique gives.

I was once challenged to a fight by a woman at a party based on her "Self Defense" boxing course. It took a look and two steps forward to make her literally scramble away from me, and this was in a roomful of people who know I'm a fucking cream puff.

If I had been someone with bad intent, I could have killed her.

I might be wrong, but there seems to be a school of thought amongst some of these self-defence folks (or at least people who learn this stuff) that the 'bad guys' on the streetz are inherently weak and stupid, will drop from a couple of hits - and that they can be defeated by simply 'spamming' a couple of moves that you learned.

A bit like the low-level enemies in side-scrolling beat-em-ups, maybe?

I might be wrong, but there seems to be a school of thought amongst some of these self-defence folks (or at least people who learn this stuff) that the 'bad guys' on the streetz are inherently weak and stupid, will drop from a couple of hits - and that they can be defeated by simply 'spamming' a couple of moves that you learned.

A bit like the low-level enemies in side-scrolling beat-em-ups, maybe?

It all stems from bleeding heart liberalism. All criminals must be disadvanted , because people are always bad for a good reason. So therefore all criminals are malnourished oppurtunists.

I might be wrong, but there seems to be a school of thought amongst some of these self-defence folks (or at least people who learn this stuff) that the 'bad guys' on the streetz are inherently weak and stupid, will drop from a couple of hits - and that they can be defeated by simply 'spamming' a couple of moves that you learned.

I always thought the the idea wasn't to "win a fight" or "defeat the attacker" but create a small window of opportunity to "run and escape".

Regular use and training of any/all of those.
Cheaper, more reliable, and more realistic "confidence booster" than any martial art.

PS: These work too:

I'd disagree with the knife; by the time you've trained enough to be more of a hazard to an attacker than yourself, you could have trained to fight unarmed, or, better yet, afford to move to a better neighborhood.

I know that kata and compliant exercises aren't teaching fighting, but they teach confidence. The women learn that they can progress at something physical; master kata and application and so on. Then, they act more confident in public. Attackers sense weakness/lack of confidence, so if they just look more confident - no confrontation!

I'll bet they'd develop more confidence learning to take a medium power body punch than learning a kata.

Hello all. I have a friend who runs a Krotty dojo. That doesn't offend me, much, but the "Self Defense for Women!" seminars really do. In a lengthy conversation (fueled by alcohol, of course) she reduced her training course to this:

I know that kata and compliant exercises aren't teaching fighting, but they teach confidence. The women learn that they can progress at something physical; master kata and application and so on. Then, they act more confident in public. Attackers sense weakness/lack of confidence, so if they just look more confident - no confrontation!

Is there any kind of evidence for this? That simple confidence boosters reduce attacks? If so, is this a possible use for compliant "fighting"?

COMMON SENSE > CONFIDENCE
I am a Big Black Man (BBM) of 6' 250lbs of muscle and extreme confident. I have a lot of experience with violence but personally and professionally. I carry an concealed firearm and follow rule #9 (Always carry a knife). I am not a soft target. People have tried to mug me. The attempts failed but if it can happen to me then it can happen to a woman with a few hours of karate kata training and I don't like their chances.